Startup makes game-changing breakthrough that could transform what happens to common waste: 'Brings new life'

Startup makes game-changing breakthrough that could transform what happens to common waste: 'Brings new life'

Beth Newhart

Thu, December 25, 2025 at 9:00 PM UTC

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Startup makes game-changing breakthrough that could transform what happens to common waste: 'Brings new life'

Aluminum is a powerful material that's easy to recycle, and one startup is dedicated to making the process more efficient.

Indiana-based tech company Sortera will soon open a new facility in Tennessee, according to TechCrunch. The company recently secured $45 million in funding for the expansion.

Sortera has been upcycling metal waste into material that's usable for new manufacturing since 2023. It uses artificial intelligence and advanced sensors to sort mixed aluminum scrap and "brings new life to old metal."

"Creating novel high purity recycled (and upcycled) metal feedstocks from existing scrap streams enables the domestic supply of metals and alloys ready for use for high-quality domestic manufacturing, boosting the strength of the circular economy," Sortera says on its website.

Its process is able to sort aluminum scrap very quickly and with over 95% accuracy. It also does not have to melt the aluminum first, which is commonly done by other recycling plants, saving even more time.

"People have been wanting to go after [this], and nobody's been able to unlock it," said Michael Siemer, CEO of Sortera, per TechCrunch.

Most of the aluminum the company processes comes from old cars, and more auto manufacturers are starting to use recycled metal for building new cars. Aluminum can be infinitely recycled, so it's important that we have simple systems in place to make this a reality.

Recycling and upcycling manufacturing waste have massive potential for helping the environment and cutting down on pollution. But unfortunately, the industry doesn't have enough attention and funding dedicated to making these sustainable changes. Sortera is hoping to change that.

"This expansion allows us to significantly increase our capacity and establish a presence closer to many of our key customers—particularly in the automotive sector — further streamlining supply chains and enhancing our service capabilities," Siemer said in a press release.

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